Author: Julie Campbell

Wearable technology offers support to Parkinson’s patients

| January 21, 2015

The tech also has capabilities for supporting limbs and easing other types of medical struggle.

A new form of clinical wearable technology in the form of a garment called PlaySkin Lift brings together Spanx technology and a trunk brace in order to provide children with physical disabilities with a comfortable, lightweight garment that will assist them in areas where they struggle.

This smart clothing was designed by researchers from the University of Delaware and is making a difference.

That said, PlaySkin Lift is only one of a growing movement in medical wearable technology. This category is seeing many new entrants that have prototypes and products that are starting to have a positive impact on several different types of condition. For example, within the same building as the mobility lab at the University of Delaware’s STAR campus, there is another group of researchers that are currently placing the polishing touches on a type of vibrating shoe. These wearables are meant to assist people with Parkinson’s disease in being able to walk faster while being better capable of keeping their balance.

At the moment, the largest category of medical wearable technology is in fitness trackers, but that is changing.

Wearable Technology offers medical support - breakthroughAlthough consumer focused devices are meant to track steps, resting heart rates, sleep, calorie burning, and other common fitness related metrics, experts are now saying that there will one day be wearables that will be able to measure every component of a person’s physiology, which could be very helpful in improving health over the long term.

At the moment, there are already devices that are in the research and development phase that are meant to assist everyone from Alzheimer’s disease sufferers to individuals who are suffering from chronic pain. In the former category, there is a gadget in the works that is meant to stimulate individuals with that form of dementia. In the later, there is a leg belt that delivers an electrical current that is meant to relieve painful discomfort. There is even a personal light tracker that is being created to assist individuals with severe depression. There have already been many reports of contact lenses for individuals with diabetes, so that they can continually track and record their blood glucose levels.

These examples, alone, represent only a tiny fraction of what is currently in the works in clinical wearable technology, but they show that this is a significant category in which device are going to continue to be released over the long term.

BlackBerry Passport includes 24K gold among color version

| January 19, 2015

Other options for the smartphone also include white, black, and red, though they are not in precious metals.

The BlackBerry Passport has become a mobile device that has been tremendously ambitious for the struggling company, and the smartphone has been released in a number of different colors, including: white, black, and red.

Now, there has been another option added to the list, which is as unique as the device shape, itself.

There is now one BlackBerry Passport option that is plated in 24K gold and was released by Goldgenie. The device costs roughly $3,000. This is not the first time that the handset maker has had a smartphone decorated with precious metals, or even stones. A few years ago, it released a Q10 that was encrusted with diamonds and that cost a whopping $31,000. More recently, Canadian rapper, Drake, had his own Classic plated in 24K gold. Similarly, Khloe Kardashian bought a rose gold plated Classic.

The 24K gold BlackBerry Passport has the same specifications as the original version of the device.

The new golden version of the mobile devices is the only smartphone that has a physical QWERTY keyboard with actual keys. That keyboard also has intuitive features and is touch sensitive. It is meant to be not only attractive smartphone, but it is also meant to offer enhanced functionality. According to Goldgenie, “When the masters of mobile business productivity combine with the masters of luxury customization, it is bound to result in a masterpiece that is both functional and beautiful.”

Beyond the 24K gold, the Passport is also to be sold in rose gold and platinum plating. Those will be priced at just under $2,000 and just over $2,000, respectively. The precious metals will be plating around the edges, though not on the frets or along the bottom edge.

While the BlackBerry Passport devices in precious metals may seem like they come with a very large price tag, there have been a number of other mobile gadgets from other brands that have made similar offerings at much higher prices. Among them was the Nokia Arte 8800, which was actually considered to be the least expensive in that type of cell phone, and that was only a feature phone…at $135,000.